For decades I belonged to the Church of Saint John Browning and faithfully followed the teachings of Colonel Jeff Cooper. The sacred scripture was simple: carry a .45. The reason was equally simple. Big bullets make big holes. Big holes leak more than little holes. Physics has never shown much respect for advertising campaigns or Internet commandos. The .45 ACP earned its reputation the old-fashioned way. It proved itself on battlefields and in dark alleys where losing meant going home in a body bag. Personally, I have never had any difficulty handling a .45. Its recoil doesn’t intimidate me, and I can fire controlled pairs quickly and accurately, even under stress. So why am I beginning to favor the 9mm? No, I haven’t swallowed the latest fairy tale about “miracle ammunition.” Every year some marketing genius announces that his newest hollow point has finally suspended the laws of physics. Apparently, every previous bullet suddenly became obsolete on Tuesday morning. Give me a brea...